We are a few years away from going cruising again. Having spent a few years on the water, I realize the amount of stuff that I don't know could often fill my little boat and spill over in to the ocean. This never stopped me before but this time I will be going further afield and taking my wife and child with me. The stakes are higher and I want to learn more about taking care of our marine systems before we go - and maybe even getting good enough to make some money at it along the way. I have a year to dedicate to this learning.
Can anyone suggest a good school or tech college on the East coast that would be good for this.
Right now I really like the look of IYRS in Newport and The Landing in Maine.
These both look like great schools but they are a bit on the pricy side. Any other suggestions or insights would be greatly appreciated!!!

- and maybe even getting good enough to make some money at it along the way. I have a year to dedicate to this learning.

The schools you mention are more formal and certified ways that would allow you to be marketable, possibly larger marine firms. But they are usually longer than a year. Best solution I found was to work, even part time - weekends, whatever in a boat repair/building shop. You will see all kinds of issues that require sorting out solutions to problems. Once you have some history as having worked in the marine industry, no matter how small the shop then you are marketable to others along your journey. Experience. You may even not get paid just to get the experience. Essentially you offer your labor they offer their equipment and training, so you do get paid in education. After a year of learning OJT you could expect to get a salary.

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Yup! I have learned WAY more in this forum, than I learned in the 12 week Marine Electrical Systems certification course. I should have added; go to Maine Sail's blog/gallery and learn from that too.

The OP didn't specifically ask for certifications (which, in my experience, are worth squat*), but he asked for a way to learn how to maintain his own vessel. Quoting the OP;

The guy's got a year, and wants to learn more about everything. I believe that buying a boat, research and practice, is the best way to get there.

He also said that IYRS was on the pricy side...

* - (After graduating, I had the opportunity to work an internship: either detailing boats, or be yard monkey.)

But your "certifications" course was not an ABYC course....... The ABYC electrical certification exam is almost 5 hours long and quite in-depth. I would not consider anyone who's passed the electrical exam to be worth "squat" at all. Some pass the test and are worse off than others, just like doctors, but to pass that test means you at least have an idea how to trouble shoot, understand 120V, 240V, 12V & 24V systems etc. etc.. To take most class room electrical courses without any "real world" experience, IMHO, only gives you half the needed knowledge, the "book side".

The Landing School is very much taught with both sides and is very much hands on, not just "book" along side the safety standards and the books.

The Landing School is excellent and most come out of there very competent. Like anything you get out of it what you put into it.. The Landing School is also not inexpensive but it is excellent and their graduates are highly sought after. Also the final exams at the Landing School are the ABYC certification exams so you come out of there ready to work at any good yard with the certifications the yards want to see, ABYC....

Uh... I am not discounting the value of attending an ABYC certified course, but I don't put all my faith behind the ABYC designation.

I had also enrolled in, and attended, a two-day ABYC seminar in Marine Electronics. Come to think of it, I got a certificate too! The course was taught at the Mystic Seaport in CT by a well known and respected person from the ABYC. I honestly feel that I got less from the ABYC seminar than I did from the course that was not certified by the ABYC. (my opinion, based on my experience)...I'm just sayin'...

This is why I honestly believe that the OP would be better off with buying a cheap boat, participating here, and studying the excellent Maine Sail "How To" Articles.

Although I also spent 2 years in Navy training for electronics, then submarine school which teaches the basics of everything from nuclear power to hydraulics and damage control.
Before that I did diesel work in the USMC, and was a metals processing specialist (welding, sheet metal, forging) in the USAF - and after that I did over 140 correspondence courses in my 22 years.
The trick is to be a jack of all trades, unfortunately I'm a master of none.

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